Offshore Infrastructure
The French Corrosion Institute is the leading laboratory in Europe for marine corrosion testing and the protection of offshore infrastructure. We support oil operators, offshore wind developers, and manufacturers of subsea structures in the qualification of their materials, the design of their cathodic protection systems, and in-service monitoring—for platforms, jackets, monopiles, risers, and subsea pipelines.
Durability of materials under offshore conditions
Structures and equipment immersed in or exposed to marine environments are subject to particularly aggressive conditions: seawater rich in chlorides, tidal zones, biofilms, galvanic currents, and mechanical fatigue. Protecting offshore infrastructure against corrosion is a strategic issue, both economically and environmentally. As a European leader in this field, the French Corrosion Institute provides end-to-end expertise, from design to in-service monitoring.
Our missions
- Assess corrosion resistance of materials under natural or simulated marine conditions.
- Develop and adapt protection methods: coatings, cathodic protection, innovative materials.
- Support industry in the design and monitoring of cathodic protection systems.
- Ensure real-time monitoring of corrosion and environmental parameters for offshore infrastructure.
Our services
- Participation in collaborative projects and European R&D programs
- Consulting and technical assistance: material selection, cathodic protection design and monitoring, failure analysis
- Corrosion and cathodic protection testing in natural seawater (from laboratory scale to full-scale testing)
- Aging of coatings and elastomers in natural seawater
- Provision of real-time corrosion and environmental monitoring solutions: open circuit potential, galvanic currents, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, chlorine, etc.—up to 500 simultaneous channels with remote data acquisition; autonomous systems for collecting corrosivity data in seas worldwide
- Training in marine corrosion and cathodic protection, preparation for ISO 15257 certification exams (levels 1 to 4) → our cathodic protection training programs
For a detailed overview of our testing capabilities for the offshore sector, please visit our Marine Test Stations and Seawater Laboratory page.
3 technical committees dedicated to the offshore and maritime industries
Acitivities of MRC “Marine Corrosion”
Within the ARCOR association, the French Corrosion Institute conducts collaborative projects for the offshore sector with key stakeholders: Volvo Penta AB, Industeel (ArcelorMittal), Alleima, National Oilwell Varco, Aker Solutions / OneSubsea, Outokumpu Stainless AB, Aker BP, Petrobras, Aperam, Saipem, DGA, TechnipFMC, EDF, TotalEnergies One Tech, Equinor, Vallourec, Grundfos Holding, voestalpine Böhler Edelstahl, and Harbour Energy.
The Marine Corrosion MRC aims to improve the reliability of material use in severe marine environments by combining fundamental understanding, representative testing, and field validation. It seeks to enhance material selection and reduce the risks of localized corrosion, while supporting emerging offshore applications (renewable energy, aquaculture, CCUS) through advanced testing and monitoring methodologies.
Acitivities of MRC “Paint and lining for steels”
Another committee dedicated to anti-corrosion coatings and paints for steel in offshore applications (C5/CX) brings together key stakeholders: Volvo Penta AB, Nof Metal Coatings, AkzoNobel, Orano TN, DGA, Peintures Maestria, EDF, TotalEnergies One Tech, and Thales Group.
This MRC aims to improve the durability and performance of anticorrosion coating systems by integrating more environmentally friendly solutions better suited to severe environments. It relies on advanced testing and field feedback to develop reliable, durable, multi-coat systems that meet current industrial requirements (offshore, energy, infrastructure).
Acitivities of the MRC “Naval paints”
Bringing together stakeholders from the naval industry, this committee focuses on the protection of naval structures through coatings, with an emphasis on their durability and performance under service conditions, while meeting both civil and military requirements.
Would you like to learn more about our services?
Contact us : brest@institut-corrosion.fr